1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and composition for treating muscular skeletal problems. More particularly, the invention relates to the treatment of tendons, ligaments, joints and muscles, as well as the associated nerve irritation, with water-based gels formed from extracts of selected herbs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As humans age, the soft tissues of the body begin to show significant wear and tear. This can be observed as pain relating to repetitive movements, or damage associated with activities that once were well tolerated. Contributing to these problems are muscular-skeletal misalignments, declining liver function and improper use of self and dietary insufficiencies. The results are often degradation of tendons and ligaments to the point where what once was normal use can now cause damage. Fixations can cause aggravated nerves and stiff muscles. Even joint surface problems can appear and be considered as arthritis pain.
Historically, these problems have been treated in a number of ways. Tendons and ligaments are often treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Steroids are administered either orally or injected directly into the region of the affliction. For arthritis, systemic anti-inflammatory drugs are administered. In most cases these arthritis drugs are combined with analgesics to simply mask the pain of the condition. For muscular pain and stiffness, over-the-counter analgesics are commonly used and menthol salves are applied topically to treat the pain. These treatments are misdirected, and in some cases, even counter productive.
In the case of a soft tissue injury, such as a damaged tendon or ligament, the pain and inflammation response is necessary to initiate the healing response. Quelling this activity shortens the period of time that the body is encouraged to send repairing macrophages to the site and hence reduces the amount of repair that is completed. Inflammation is a critical part of the healing response. It is the signal that causes the generation of new restorative tissue. The use of steroids in acute cases of tendon and ligament damage can actually abort the healing process and leave the tissue poorly repaired.
In the case of arthritis due to joint erosion and surface damage, the re-building of the joint surface is critical to the restoration of pain-free movement. This is not facilitated by the topical application of analgesics and menthols. Those agents simply block nerve signals from the site to the brain producing the pain. While analgesics can be helpful in the short-term, long-term relief can only come from repairing the joint surface. The restoration of the joint will allow the inflammation and pain to cease.
During normal exercise, muscle fibers are broken and resultant repair causes increased muscle mass. This re-building of the muscle tissue is indeed the desired effect of physical conditioning and should be supported by maintaining suppleness in the tissue while encouraging good blood and lymph flow to allow the macrophages to arrive on the scene and produce restorative cells. Menthol rubs and systemic analgesics do nothing to encourage or support this process.
Back and neck pain is often caused by a fixated misaligned skeletal system that pinches nerves and focuses an inappropriate amount of movement on the regions of the body that remain flexible. This disproportionate sharing of movement often leads to acute pain due to muscle over-extension or nerve pinching. While the best long-term response to this problem is muscular-skeletal realignment, the residual tension often foils this restructuring by pulling the bones back out of position. The appropriate adjunctive therapy to the realignment is to relax the muscle tension and quell the excess nerve activity. None of these functions are accomplished by the standard treatment of menthol rubs or analgesics.
In fact, generally viewed, the present state of treating muscular-skeletal problems is to directly combat the symptoms. This is standard allopathic medical philosophy and works against the natural healing systems of the body. What is presented here is a set of therapeutic gels that are designed to support the healing activities of the body while producing sufficient relief to the user.